Sway bars for my 56 Mercury

I want to replace the front sway bar on my 56 Monterey. The stock bar is only 3/4” diameter. id like very much to put a lager diameter sway bar on it. Any suggestions???
I was thinking possibly on the line of 72-78 Thunderbird ‍♂️‍♂️‍♂️

 

Remember, if you go too large, it's best to ALSO...install a rear "anti-sway" bar to "balance the chassis.

I'd go with a 1-1/8" front and a 3/4" rear, anti-sway bars. I've done this with more than a coupla cars. Makes for a great combination.

Some recommend stiff shocks and springs. THAT makes for a...stiff...overall ride. Anti-sway bars keeps the ride a little more comfortable, while also controlling the body roll.

Mike

 

There was a company in Portland, OR that made sway bars for 55-57 T-Birds. It was Quickor Suspension. I put one of their front bars on my Bird along with a rear kit and gas shocks. It took all the lean out of the car and made it much more stable. I see their web site is still up, but I think the guy running it retired. Last time I talked with him was maybe 5 years ago and he was semi-retired but still selling a few sway bars. http://quickorgarage.com/

 

I think Addco still makes the front bar, maybe a rear one too. Crazy Steve had an interesting comment about mounting the bar to the rear end housing. I had an Addco like that. Go read post #9 by him.

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...s-spinning-trying-to-figure-them-out.1274790/

 

The Mercury may be an odd duck for an easy find. Mine came from Thunderbird Southwest.
https://www.thunderbirdsouthwest.com/

They have parts that are not listed on their site, so give them a call. I found them good people to deal with.

 

Measure the ends and mounts from a 56 Ford. Larry’s Thunderbird sells them for full size cars.

 

I looked at the site, certainly lots of sway bars listed. Something there will probably work. With the stock cars, we would jot down what we needed and go pick at the junkyard sponsor.

 

Rear bars give a car more over-steer.
If the steering linkage is in front of the front wheels, this usually has understeer and could use the rear bar. The GM A Body is a perfect example.

GM big cars usually had the steering linkage behind the front wheels. These are Pontiac Bonneville, Grand Prix, Catalina. Olds 88 Holiday, Buick Duce. This set up gives oversteer, so a rear bar isn't really needed especially if the builder put veritable rate jounce bumpers set an inch or two away from the frame.

 

Hi Elcoholic,

I think there are some typos on Post#9.
Both examples say the linkage is "in front of the front wheels."

 

Stock 56 Mercury steering is behind the A-frames. It is a rear steer car.

 

Thank you for the correction. I think I got it right this time. I'll blame it on old age LOL..

 

I remember those old Fords really were nice to drive once they got ball joints and a sway bar. I had a 62 Galaxie that was a joy to drive around in. Manual steering, left arm out the window lol..

 

As long you kept or keep skinny tires most cars of the 50-60’s were ez to drive. Reversed wheels started to mess them up especially if they had ball bearing front ends like Chevrolets. Then the “Wide Oval” came along, which were not really very wide, to mess it up more. Today I won’t use over a 75-78 series tires and 6” wheels on the front. I don’t like the Hot Wheels-Slot Car look on anything.